Why I Plan To Boycott the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election
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It has come as a surprise to many of my friends to hear that I have decided not to vote. Some people have sent me messages begging me to cast a vote, some of them aggressive and condescending, others desperate… so I will try to clarify my views to those among you who consider voting to be an important aspect of democratic participation.
Above all, I am convinced that no political action is worth undertaking without the possibility of the action bringing about a desired change—or even the possibility of placing us on a path towards this change. So while I believe that voting is indeed an important aspect of civic awareness, I believe it is a useful practice only once certain democratic institutions are in place to make it worth our while. In this particular case at this particular time, I don’t believe voting is my best option for number of reasons—so why should I participate just because I am eligible?
I would not go to a political demonstration if I believed the particular manifestation of protest would be ineffective, just as I would not express my political views to a dog. There is simply no point in these acts.
Likewise, when the choice lies between parties that have monopolized the “debates” by excluding third-party candidates, that have transformed a theoretically multiparty political system into de facto two-party farce, that have pushed candidates who both essentially agree that military aggression is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy, that profess their immutable support for Israel’s right to kill Palestinian civilians, that quibble over the deaths of American soldiers while basically agreeing that the carnal nightmare in Iraq should continue, that actually threaten to widen American offensives, and agree on much else… the word “choice” defies its very meaning. Until it reclaims its meaning, voting is at best a waste of my time and at worst a capitulation to the corrupt and decidedly undemocratic state of the American political structure.
Thus, I have consciously chosen the path of resistance over mere dissent; I refuse to abide by the principles of an unjust system in adhering to its platitudes of “civic participation” before retiring to my couch, mute, albeit eternally grateful for the quatra-annual opportunity of “participating”.
If you continue to believe that voting is a meaningful way of expressing yourself politically, that is your prerogative—and you may be right. Perhaps you agree with everything Obama says and honestly foresee the positive fulfillment of his bizarre infatuation with that word: “change”.
Fine.
Perhaps for you, voting is an then effective tool of political expression… but in my view, there exists no credible difference between the individuals competing to be captain of this ship. It’s as if the shareholders of Murderers Inc. were voting for a new CEO. The basic function of their enterprise is not up for debate, only the face of its leadership.
As Noam Chomsky once wrote in another well-known period of American injustice:
We all take part in the war to a greater or lesser extent, if only by paying taxes and permitting domestic society to function smoothly. A person has to choose for himself the point at which he will simply refuse to take part any longer. Reaching that point, he will be drawn into resistance.
Put simply, this is why I plan to boycott the 2008 Presidential election.
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Pingback by Why I Plan To Boycott the 2008 US Presidential Election | party x tutti — November 4, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
I must say that I felt a little inspired that so many Americans voted because they seemed concerned about extremely pressing issues like torture, global warming and nuclear disarmament, racial justice and genuine disgust with the Bush administration. It affirmed that many people do care about these issues. Maybe that momentum is something that concerned citizens from the US and all over the world can work with, but I am also afraif you may be right that it camouflages the need for deeper, structural “change”.
Of course, I am not even eligible to vote in the US, but I have thought about the extent, to which supporting Barack Obama would be morally acceptable.
I was slightly elated to hear about Obama’s candidacy in the early months of the campaign. At that time, I had only read his very critical book “Dreams From My Father”, in which he expressed views he could not afford to articulate nowadays. However, I soon became very dispirited by his comments that Jerusalem should be an exclusively Israeli city, expanding capital punishment and the “War On Terror” to Pakistan. Moreover, I know Obama cannot deliver on the promises made in the wake of his change mantra. Him accepting huge quantities of corporate campaign donations, without disclosing information about the donors, suggests that what he can and cannot do is already severely limited.
Therefore, I fully understand your position. I also basically agree that he is the “lesser of two evils” – but I would also mantain that this often-uttered statement has some veracity this time around. Noam Chomsky seems to affirm this view in this interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh7ps1KWl_M
McCain’s statements insinuated that he would prioritize military solutions in “dealing with” Iran. While I know that the EU and US, which is utterly unwilling to disarm, have no right to demand that the Iran ceases to enrich uranium – my support for Obama partially rested on the fear of what McCain would do in respect to this issue when in office. Moreover, if McCain had won, he would have won based on a majority that accepted the plethora of Islamophobic and otherwise bigoted slurs that surfaced in his campaign. Perhaps showing relief that Obama is elected is glossing over the many abuses that have been made (and will continue to be made) during the “War On Terror”; but the urgency of this political moment made me feel that way, even though I am also very doubtful about it.
Comment by Jonas — November 5, 2008 @ 11:29 pm
I read your blog post about why you’re boycotting the election and again I must say, well done. You articulated many of the same feelings I have, but in well-written concise way (my explanations are of the informal sort of ramblings and tirades lately). I feel like I am talking to a wall whenever I try to explain my position. But anyhow, well done.
Comment by N. Merrill — November 7, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
Jonas:
Chomsky offers nothing in that interview that I have not already expressed, nor does he contradict what I have written here. It’s understandable that people in the United States should be inspired by anyone offering that magical word (”change”) even if it’s an illusion…
Can we blame people for supporting Obama? He is charismatic, charming and generally seems to be a good guy… But as he has admitted himself: after taken millions from private (and as you say, secret) interests… how can one remain independent? The trenchant corporate presence in American politics rivals the most corrupt third-world governments (albeit on a larger scale).
Greg argued against my “passivity” as he called it by claiming that Obama would be a better President than if McCain died in office and Palin took over. Perhaps. But I refuse to participate in a fundamentally flawed election process by accepting rape rather than murder. I don’t want either!
Ralph Nader recently quoted the labor organizer Eugene Debs: “My greatest regret is that, under our Constitution, the American people can have almost anything they want, but it just seems they don’t want much of anything at all.”
This is an apt characterization of the 2008 election.
Comment by Kris Petersen — November 7, 2008 @ 8:39 pm